1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to plastic containers for the storage and transport of liquids, particularly aggressive liquids.
2. Prior Art
The above type containers comprise a practically rectangular bottom with rounded corners, a top with a filling or pouring hole, four standing walls which each connect to the circumferential seam of both the top and the bottom, and four standing edge strips each connecting two walls, a rounded corner of the bottom and a corner of the top, which container is manufactured by the blow molding process.
Such containers are widely used and frequently stacked with other containers on a pallet and transported. Consequently, such containers must be self-bearing, meaning that they should have sufficient strength to withstand the weight of other containers and their contents stacked on top of them during storage and transport. FR-A-26178, for instance, describes such containers.
However, the strength of such containers, particularly of containers holding 15 kg of liquid or more, is limited. Furthermore, it was observed that the strength of containers holding aggressive liquids, especially liquids that (partially) migrate into the wall material, is adversely affected, often to such an extent that they cannot withstand the usual load. The option of thicker walls, by using more material in the blow molding process, is uneconomic. Furthermore, if the containers are to hold thermally liable liquids that show self-accelerating decomposition, such as organic peroxides, they cannot be made too sturdy, since such containers have to rupture at fairly low pressures to prevent hazardous situations (such as explosions) as per the recommendations of the United Nations Committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods.
The object of the invention is to present a new type of blow-molded container with increased compression strength at equal weight that is suitable for holding said aggressive fluids. This is achieved by means of a special container design. Of course, this design will also allow the production of lighter containers with the same strength as conventional containers, thereby reducing the amount of plastic material required.